In 2009, DAI formalized its corporate presence in Mexico by opening DAI Mexico, a locally registered subsidiary of DAI based in Mexico City. For five years prior to opening the local firm, DAI had a project office that implemented the successful U.S. Agency for International Development -funded AFIRMA project, which focused on improving access to financial services among micro and rural enterprises. The project helped its financial institution partners reach hundreds of thousands of new clients with services adjusted to the needs of some of the most difficult-to-reach corners of the economy, including small farmers in remote rural areas. It also played a catalytic role in the generation and use of market information to improve industry infrastructure, and explored new approaches to align market incentives for conservation of Mexico’s rich biodiversity.

The local subsidiary underscores a strong commitment to continue working with local public and private sector partners and organizations. The DAI team in Mexico will build upon a wealth of experience to design and implement projects in Mexico, initially focusing on access to finance and conservation but also exploring technical sectors where DAI has excelled globally for years, including supporting Mexico’s emerging leadership in responding to climate change, investing in alternative energy, and applying technology and technical assistance to develop sustainable value chains in sectors such as agriculture, forestry, and fisheries.

DAI Mexico will also serve as a focal point for our development work in Latin America and the Caribbean, building on DAI’s long track record of successful projects throughout the region: helping Haitians to recover livelihoods destroyed by natural disaster, helping Ecuadorans and Brazilians expand access to financial services, supporting business development in Colombia’s small cities, and improving watershed conservation in El Salvador, to cite just a few examples.

Since DAI’s founding in 1970, DAI’s employee owners have combined technical excellence with cultural knowledge and sensitivity to design and implement smart, sustainable development programs. DAI Mexico draws on this heritage to make real and lasting improvements in the lives of people in Mexico and the region.